Friday, 25 September 2009

Short and Sharp

Quick and early today. It's my birthday this weekend and we areleaving shortly for a weekend of festivities and pampering. At least, that's what I'm hoping for... So no post Saturday or Sunday this week. I'll catch up on Monday.

Louise Welsh's play Memory Cells on at Glasgay! between 20th and 24th October.

It's UNICEF Crime Night at Glasgow's Hillhead Library on October 16th with Karen Campbell, Helen Fitzgerald, Caro Ramsay and Alex Gray. And there's a short story competition - the topic is 'crime', the word count is 1500 words and the phrase "out of the darkness" needs to appear somewhere in the story. Closing date is 30th September, entries cost £6 with all proceeds going to UNICEF. Entries will be judged by Helen and Karen with the winner receiving signed copies of the authors' books, plus an award presented at the Crime Night and the story showcased at a special reading on 17th October from 2pm-4pm, also at Hillhead Library. Why are these events always while I am away? . For more information contact Hillhead Library or e-mail glasgowunicef@googlemail.com.

Have a very Happy Birthday, Donna. You might like to know that your name was mentioned in a complimentary fashion during a deeply philosophical discussion between two senior bearded bloggers [Mack and me] on the banks of the River Dart. It is our age. ;o)That luxury literary treat is very tempting.

LOL Norm - I am sure you will not be surprised to learn that I doubt that the words "Donna" and "deeply philosophical" are not usually mentioned in the same sentence :o) I hope you and Mack had a lovely time and also that the mere mention of my name didn't make you want to jump into the River Dart. Thank you for the birthday wishes.

Welcome to Badsville

This here's Badsville - the home of Scottish crime fiction - news, interviews, reviews, book-related stuff, non book-related stuff, and any other random nonsense that takes my fancy (there, that should stop me getting done under the Trade Descriptions Act). It will focus on Scottish crime fiction authors, crime fiction books set in Scotland, and authors who have a great great-uncle twice removed who may once have played football for Scotland. But it will also cover anything else that tickles my fancy because...well, because I can.

The list of authors includes all those I could find websites for. If I've missed anyone off the list, please let me know. If you want to be interviewed (you mad fool) again, please let me know. And...well, that's about it really.

"It's all hilarious and exhausting; you can't help but love The Old Dogs" Shelf Awareness

"The way she orchestrates her comic set-pieces is nothing short of genius and designed to eke out every last piece of humour." Crimesquad

"...All of the action points toward the trainwreck of heist attempts, but Moore gives us much more, continuing the action (and the fun) long after the heist itself..." International Noir Fiction

"...a heist caper, a modern farce, an adventure, a Carry-On movie on acid. The twists and turns are impossible to predict and it is to her credit that no matter how ridiculous the sets of events might be she manages to make them seem entirely credible, in part because the motives of all those who inhabit the book are so deeply believable." Sea Minor

"Donna Moore is a master at creating colourful characters and putting them into laugh out loud situations. Combine that with strong dialogue and tight pacing, and you've got yourself a brilliant book well worth the read." I Love A Good Mystery

Currently Listening To

Catchy, reverby, retro indie pop. A cheerier and less edgy version of Jesus and Mary Chain mixed in with Wreckless Eric and the enrgy of The Ramones. Nothing that will revolutionise indie music, but just really great fun, dance around the living room tunes that are feelgood and upbeat. Favourite tracks - IF YOU WANNA, BLOW IT UP and WRECKIN' BAR (RA RA RA).

Psychedelic throbbing guitar noise, very 60s, a little like an indie rock version of The Doors. Sludgy, moody, a little bit creepy in places. Favourite tracks - BAD VIBRATIONS and HAUNTING AT 1300 MCKINLEY. Although this album doesn't have my favourite Black Angels track - that's this one - BLOODHOUNDS ON MY TRAIL.

Compilation album of Violent Feemes tracks from 1981-1993 this has been one of my favourite albums for ages. With so many UK bands mixing indie and folk and ending up sounding naff and twee and really annoying, the Violent Femmes do the whole punk/country/folk thing superbly. And I love Gordon Gano's voice. Favourite tracks GONE DADDY GONE, 36-24-36, AMERICAN MUSIC and the utterly brilliant and eerie COUNTRY DEATH SONG (about as noir as it gets).